


Second Chances

by GeekyRoleplayer



Category: Arrowverse - Fandom, Constantine (TV), DC's Legends of Tomorrow (TV)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Fluff, M/M, Tonight's episode wrecked me
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-26
Updated: 2020-02-26
Packaged: 2021-02-28 01:35:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,494
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22905598
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GeekyRoleplayer/pseuds/GeekyRoleplayer
Summary: After John's brush with death he realizes that he's taken some important things in his life for granted.Someone for granted.There is an undeniable need for him to make amends.
Relationships: Constangreen, John Constantine/Gary Green
Comments: 7
Kudos: 96





	Second Chances

**Author's Note:**

> Spoilers for DC's Legends of Tomorrow, "Mortal Khanbat." 
> 
> I really love Gary Green. 
> 
> That's not relevant to anything, but I thought I'd let you all know.

He felt like a new man. 

John had never felt so elated before.   
His nerves hummed with an unquenchable energy.   
While his mind soared with new and daunting realizations. 

At dinner, he had told Ray that he was a man of many regrets. As he was reflecting on the evening, John found that it was true. His life had been nothing short of traumatic. Having spent the majority of it pushing people away and festering within his self loathing, he had made many terrible choices. 

One of them in particular was currently at the forefront of his mind. He cocked his head to the side, his eyes turned to seek out the other man who was in the kitchen. 

The water was running in the sink. The rushing of the faucet was an oddly comforting sound as John watched Gary agonize over the dishes. 

The former Time Bureau agent had a slumping posture. His shoulders sagged and his glasses were sliding down the brim of his nose. He raised his arm and pushed them back into place with his elbow. The sleeves of his blue dress shirt were rolled up haphazardly, a crumpled mess done in haste. He was exhausted. With every right to be, of course, the night had been an emotional torment for him. 

John recalled his many words throughout the night. 

'I added Honey, just how you like it!'  
'If he has to go, I just wish he would be at peace.'   
'I'm going to miss you so much.' 

Then his mind wandered farther still, to their shared kiss upon his revival. He'd found himself humming into the kiss, as his lips pressed wantonly against Gary's. 

He realized with a jolt then, that he'd missed it. That undeniable closeness, the vulnerability, the trust. 

Their relationship had never been a steady one. 

They cared for one another and they always had. It was an unspoken thing, something fragile that both of them were afraid to touch. 

Why had he pushed Gary away? He scolded himself begrudgingly, as he recalled the sight of his apprentice sobbing at their kitchen table, on his behalf no less. 

He had also told Ray that if he truly loved Nora, then he should ask her to marry him. Why should he waste that chance of happiness? Even if it may end up being fleeting. 

John Constantine was a sentimental fool and a hypocrite. 

"Gary, mate." He found himself speaking without a thought. 

Gary glances up at his name and his brown eyes are weary as he focuses them on the warlock. "Yes? Are you feeling alright?" 

"I'm okay," he reassures, tucking his hands into the pockets of his pants and leaning back on his heels. He bit the inside of his cheek, craved a cigarette with little guilt, and then sighed. "I just wanted to apologize." 

"Oh?" His voice of surprise is small. Quiet. 

"Yeah... I know I already did once today, but it's not enough. I shouldn't have snapped at you like I did. You were just caring for me. Even though I was being a stubborn bastard." 

Gary turns away from him for a moment, he presses the tab on the sink down and stops the water. The kitchen, still warmed by the fire place blazing in the next room, was shrouded in silence then. The man turns to face John slowly, as if hesitance gripped him like a vice. "Go on." He prompted, urging his teacher, friend, and past lover to continue on this train of thought. 

Hearing John apologize must have been a refreshing change of pace.

"Right well, I also wanted to say I was sorry about... How I left things." When Gary doesn't respond, just watches him with those careful and large brown eyes of his, he continues. "With us, I mean. We had a good thing but I was to self-absorbed to see it. I did mean what I said then, that it was about a balance of good and evil. People around me tend to get hurt, this house is a prime example of that." He pauses and takes a raggid breath. The memory of Natalie still tore at his heart. It was an old scar. "And after what happened with Desmond I couldn't continue with you. I was afraid that you would get wrapped up in my business and you were, no, you are too good for that." 

As his words tapper off he is left to watch as Gary stares at him discerningly. With narrowed eyes now, and a furrowed brow. A frown tugs his lips downwards and John finds himself missing the other man's contagious smile. 

Finally Gary spoke and his words seemed carefully chosen. He said them slowly, as if testing them on his tongue before allowing them to leave his lips. "A lot of good that did." He states, indicating at the house around them with a wave of his hand. "I'm still here, learning the art of magic, and chasing down demons with you." 

"I know."

"I'm not as naive as I seem," his apprentice continues with his frown still present. "I knew what I was getting into on that first date we had. I knew who you were and how dangerous you could be." He takes a breath and closes his eyes for a moment. "Do you know that you were the first person to stop and listen to me? You let me ramble for hours about my... My interests... And then when we let our relationship continue you never... You never pressured me into doing something I wasn't comfortable with. Do you know how major that is John? I have been a doormat for others to walk on my entire life. You were never as bad as the others."

John swallowed the lump that was beginning to form in the back of his throat. Sentimental indeed, but he had already shed too many tears for his liking that day. "I know I treat you poorly sometimes, my temper gets out of hand, but I've tried to get a handle on it. Today, today just got bad."

Gary gave a small nod of acknowledgement. "I know, I've noticed." His frown finally subsides. A faint smile, but a smile all the same, takes it's place. "Most of my spells end up messing up, for the worse, but you're always so patient with me."

"You're learning," John insists, "and you're passionate about it. You deserve the time and support necessary to pick up the trade." 

"Support." Gary mimics the word as if it had left him awestruck. He returns to his senses a moment later. "John? Were you bringing up our break-up for a reason?" 

"Yes." He answers, taking a small step forwards. When Gary didn't shy away from his advancement, he closed the rest of the distance. Standing on an inch or two away now, he reached out to cup the other man's face tenderly between his calloused hands. "I was an idiot." He admits in a voice that was barely above a whisper. Leaning in, his brushes their lips together softly. Gary gasps against the kiss but it is returned until it becomes something a bit more. Something that leaves them a breathless, winded. "Such an idiot." John confirms once they part. 

Gary reaches up with a shaking hand to press it against one of the others that was cradling his cheek. "You were afraid." He consoles, always so quick to defend John, even to himself. 

He shakes his head in protest. "I should have treated you better. I shouldn't have pushed you away." 

"Well," Gary encourages tentatively, "You have me now."

The exorcist stalls for a moment. As if the consequences of his actions had caught up to him. The fire in his blood due to him narrowly avoiding death a few hours previous, subsides suddenly. It was replaced by a cold dread that felt like ice creeping throughout his veins. Was he really going to do this? If he let it go any further than this then he couldn't back out. He would have to commit. He couldn't hurt Gary again, as he had done so heartlessly before. 

Then he glanced upwards to find those warm brown eyes staring back at him from behind thick rimmed glasses. There was nothing but compassion and understanding dwelling there. 

Gary would let him back out now. If he still wanted too.   
  
No, John was done running from what would make his life meaningful. His cowardice in this situation was inexcusable and he made his decision faster than he would like to admit. 

He allows himself to fall forward, crashing into Gary's welcoming embrace. 

This kiss remains soft, sweet, and sincere. In it is an unspoken promise of loyalty and trust.   
A chance to restart between them, hopefully for the long haul this time. 

John pulled away once more, still close enough that their breath mingled and their noses brushed, "You have me too." 


End file.
